Gerard and Ayame's match continues! And what about Elaina's mysterious guest? What will they be planning?
KedharS: She was always this strong, she just isn't a fighter. Gotta be tough when your pokemon work out every day in training for Pokeathlons.
Hellraiserphoenix: More likely her pokemon are so tough BECAUSE she trains them for Pokeathlons.
Aquahaze675: That reason probably nepotism.
Pokemon Academy: Beginning of Beginnings
Chapter 521
"Tank, use taunt!" Gerard ordered. Tank narrowed his eyes and roared, Dana's eyes narrowing in response. Any attempt to do anything but attack was lost, and she began gathering up energy for another solarbeam.
"Dana, don't get baited so easily!" Ayame shouted. "Instead of solarbeam, use leaf tornado!"
"Eldegoss!" Dana nodded, spinning in the air and sending a cutting wave of leaves at the Bastiodon instead of a solarbeam. The leaves spun around and the tornado engulfed Tank, cutting into him from all sides even as his broad faceplate deflected most of the leaves.
"I see, nice move," Akira nodded.
"That attack is way weaker than solarbeam, though!" Dakota said, not sure what Akira was talking about. "So why would she use that instead?"
"I'm also confused," Lila agreed. She had a pretty good sense of Ayame, but she didn't know what she was doing. Maybe she had made a mistake, since she wasn't a battler?
"You said Ayame Toujou is good at reading the condition of pokemon?" Akira asked Lila, Lila nodding in agreement.
"I don't know exactly what it means, but she's really good at it," Lila confirmed.
"Then she can probably tell what I can tell, that that Bastiodon has amazing defensive capabilities and stamina, but most of the species' defensive capabilities are in the large plate on their faces," Akira explained. "That Bastiodon probably can't move forward that well, but he should still be capable of repositioning himself to block a single attack like solarbeam as long as it isn't catching him off-guard like before."
"Oh, wow, I didn't even think of that," Lila gasped.
"So leaf tornado is better because it attacks from all sides," Dakota said, nodding.
"Tank, ignore those tiny blows," Gerard scoffed. "Use another stone edge!"
Tank turned to face Dana, and tore massive chunks of rock up out of the ground, flinging them at Dana. The stones bashed against her, knocking her out of the air and sending cotton flying everywhere.
"Dana, are you okay?" Ayame shouted.
"Eldegoss," Dana said, nodding, floating back up.
"She doesn't look okay," Lila said worriedly. Eldegoss had restored a lot of health from the synthesis, but that stone edge had taken a lot out of her.
"It's a good thing Bastiodon has such low attacking strength, otherwise that would have really been bad for her," Akira noted.
"She can't heal, so now's the time to keep beating down on her," Gerard shouted. "Take that grass pokemon apart!"
"Bastiodon!" Tank nodded, preparing another barrage of stones.
"Dana! Use grass knot!" Ayame shouted.
"Eldegoss!" Dana began glowing green. Thick shoots of grass jutted out of the ground and wrapped around Tank, pulling him off of his feet and slamming him into the ground, the heavy pokemon letting out a groan of pain as the grass constricted even tighter around him, pressing his armor deeper into his scaly body.
"Whoa, that was a powerful move!" Dakota gasped in shock.
"It gets more powerful the heavier the target," Akira noted. "It's a really powerful move to use against a Rock type."
"Bastiodon…" Tank struggled to free himself from the constricting vines, but that only made them press down harder.
"Tank, use metal burst," Gerard ordered. As the grass squeezed him painfully, Tank began gathering light into his body, which began to shine with a metallic gleam, compressing energy until he released it in an explosion of metal that shot out in all directions, slicing through the grass and hitting Dana, sending her spiraling backwards.
"Dana!" Ayame cried. Dana was clearly on her last legs. She barely had the strength to float up into the air.
"Tank, finish her with stone edge," Gerard ordered. Tank struggled to right himself, but he found he couldn't. The cotton was still clinging to him, pinning him to the ground as he tried to break free, and he couldn't attack.
"Now, Dana!" Ayame cried, sensing an opportunity. "Hit him with grass knot!"
"Eldegoss!" Dana nodded, more grass shooting out of the ground and squeezing down on the Bastiodon tightly, Tank letting out a wail of pain as Dana's attack hit him even harder.
"Now, his belly is exposed, get him with your solarbeam!" Ayame cried. She wasn't about to give the Bastiodon a chance to break free again!
Gathering energy from the sun, Dana quickly fired off a massive beam of compressed sunlight that his Bastiodon in the belly, causing him to let out a cry of pain. The grass squeezed him even tighter, constricting on him until he couldn't even more, his body crumpling.
"Bastiodon is unable to battle!" Lila announced, her voice a mix of pride and joy. "Nicely done, Dana! Gerard has taken the first loss of the fight!"
There were murmurs of shock and surprise. Gerard Alkwest, the Eighth Leader, had just taken the first lost pokemon against a girl who wasn't even in the Battle Course. The green armband on her arm was standing out blatantly, a bright beacon about the benefits of the Caretaking Course.
"Yeah! Aya, you're the best!" Blake cheered, and now Cynthia was getting into it, too.
"Yeah, you go! Take that guy down a few pegs!" Cynthia added in, pumping her fist while her other hand was cupped next to her mouth, calling out victoriously.
"You can do it, Ayame!" Sango joined in as well, standing up like Blake and Cynthia and cheering her friend on.
Ayame's heart swelled as her friend's voices pierced through the cheers of the rest of the crowd, and she stood a little taller as she smiled at Dana, her Eldegoss badly beaten but still capable of fighting back. This was only the beginning.
"Return, Tank," Gerard sighed, recalling his Bastiodon. He took off his glasses and began wiping them, before putting them back on. He reached to his next pokeball, and Ayame immediately tensed. It was bright pink and sparkling like a gem, and she knew exactly what pokemon was going to be inside of it. The pokemon he was going to use next.
"Diana, go," Gerard said, sending out his Diancie.
"Dia!" Diana chirped, emerging from the pokeball in a swirling sparkle of glistening pink gems, a bright smile on her face.
"Oh! What a cutie!" Lila gushed. Her excitement last only for a moment, and then she sighed. "…If only she was owned by a nicer trainer…"
"It's a mythical pokemon," Dakota muttered. "That's a really difficult foe to defeat."
Difficult… but not impossible. The battle royale a few days prior had proven that Diana could, at the very least, be defeated, even if it had taken a different mythical pokemon to defeat it.
"Legendaries are difficult, I think we can all agree to that," Akira said. "With this, Gerard becomes a really problematic opponent, that's for sure."
Ayame's face darkened, but she wasn't going to let Gerard intimidate her. She wiped the sweat from her forehead and called out to Dana, "Dana! Yeah, she's tough, but she's still just another Rock pokemon! You've got this! Hit her with your solarbeam!"
"Eldegoss!" Dana nodded, gathering light into her body. She began to glow, and fired off a solarbeam at Diana, putting in as much power as she could.
"Diana, light screen!" Gerard ordered.
"Diancie!" Diana raised her hands, a barrier made out of pink crystals appearing in front of her. The solarbeam struck the crystalline barrier and shot out in every direction, the light screen completely deflecting the attack.
"Whoa, Bastiodon went down to a couple of solarbeams, but that light screen… yeesh," Dakota said, shaking her head in amazement. "Diancie blocked it like it was nothing."
"We saw that in the battle royale," Lila nodded solemnly. "Her defensive powers are really amazing, that won't be an easy barrier to break."
"If one point won't work, then let's try multiple!" Ayame suggested. "Dana, use your leaf storm attack to hit the whole barrier!"
"Eldegoss!" Dana nodded, opening her mouth and firing a massive storm of leaves from deep within, a massive tornado whirling like a million razor blades towards the gorgeous rock pokemon.
"That's nothing Diana, counter that leaf storm attack with a storm of your own!" Gerard shouted. "Diamond storm!"
"Diancie!" Diana nodded, raising her hands up. Massive pink diamonds appeared in a giant cloud around her, and she flung her arms forward, sending the sharp stones flying forward in an equally massive twister of destructive power.
The diamonds struck the leaves and the two attacks canceled each other out, chunks of green and diamond dust falling to the ground.
"Elde…" Dana panted.
"They're equally matched in destructive power!" Lila cheered hopefully.
"That won't be good enough, though," Akira said, shaking his head. "Leaf storm comes with a massive drawback. In exchange for a huge burst of power, it severely reduces the special attack of the pokemon who uses it. She'll never be able to use it that strongly again, which means Diancie will overpower her the next time."
"Oh, no, that's really bad!" Lila gasped.
"Don't worry, Dana! Return!" Ayame said, holding up her pokeball and calling Dana back before Diana could capitalize on her weakened state and reduced stats.
"Switching out your pokemon? Smart move," Gerard nodded. "That Eldegoss isn't going to be of much use going further."
"She's not done yet," Ayame scowled. She moved to her next pokeball. "Rhox! It's your turn!"
Ayame threw out a second pokeball, and from inside of it her Golem came out next, the round and bulky rock pokemon growling with a deep rumble.
"Golem!" Rhox stared at Diana, and Gerard burst out laughing.
"A Rock Type? Against ME?" Gerard cackled, nearly doubling over laughing. "You'd use a Rock type pokemon against me, a master of Rock Types?"
"I kind of agree, that's a pretty questionable move," Dakota agreed.
"Maybe, but on the other hand, maybe a Golem would stand a decent chance against that Diancie, plus, Rhox is her strongest pokemon," Lila added. "So I think she's got a pretty good shot, if you ask me! Aya, you can do it!"
Akira remained silent, watching the beginning of the battle with interest.
Ayame smirked.
"Just watch me. Rhox! Use earthquake!" Ayame ordered.
"GOLEM!" Rhox roared, stomping on the ground. The earth began to shake and shockwaves struck Diana, her body beginning to shake as she cried out in pain from the attack. But Gerard wasn't about to let that happen.
"Diana, use reflect!" He quickly ordered, another barrier appearing around Diana that shielded her from the brunt of the quakes. Diana quickly settled down and turned her attention back to Rhox, holding her hands up and preparing to pelt him with diamonds.
"Rhox! Iron defense!" Ayame cried. Rhox curled up into a stony ball and his body took on a metallic sheen, causing the diamonds that Diana was firing at him to break into pieces against his reinforced hide. Ayame grinned. "Those moves won't be enough, Gerard! You're the rock expert, so you should know how good Golem's defenses are! And not only that, unlike your Golem, mine's a Ground type, which means that he resists Rock type moves! You like having strong defenses? Well, we can do the same!"
"Yeah, that's the way, Aya!" Lila cheered. "There's a reason that Rhox is her go-to pokemon for Stamina Events!"
"One difference," Gerard scowled. "Diana's defenses are powerful, both physical and special. But your Golem? Your Golem only has physical bulk going for it. I told you I know Rock types, and I know that most Rock types are physically defensive, but when it comes to special defenses they often have weaknesses… and your Golem is no exception!"
"Diancie!" Diana nodded in agreement. She held her hands up, the large round diamond on her head beginning to glow pink. As it did, the diamond on her chest began to glow as well, and she began sculpting light in between her hands into a massive pink orb of light.
"Diana, use moonblast!" Gerard ordered. Diana fired the compressed energy orb at Rhox, who was still curled up in a ball.
"Rhox, use protect!" Ayame countered. A brown barrier appeared around the round pokemon, the moonblast bouncing off of it and the energy dispersing.
"Golem!" Rhox growled, uncurling himself and lumbering towards Diana, raising his fists.
"You aren't the only one who can set up a barrier," Ayame smirked. "But unlike you, we can break through them! Rhox, use brick break!"
"What?!" Gerard's eyes widened in surprise.
"Nice!" Callie cheered, jumping up and pumping her fist excitedly. "Brick break!"
"That's a good move," Akira said, a smile creeping across his face.
"Huh?" Dakota asked, looking at him.
"GOLEM!" Rhox shouted, slamming his fist into the crystalline barrier surrounding Diana, putting his full force into the blow. Diana's reflect and light screen shattered into pieces and she took the massive fist in the face, flying backwards.
"Diancie!" Diana cried out in pain, holding her nose as she tumbled backwards, thrashing around. But the pain wasn't as bad as it could have been and she quickly recovered, sending a spray of diamonds flying at Rhox.
"It seems your defenses aren't all they're cracked up to be," Ayame smirked. "Now, Rhox! Use earthquake again and keep putting on the pressure!"
"Golem!" Rhox continued to stomp the ground, sending more tremors shaking through the stadium. Diana continued to cry in pain as she was assaulted by the powerful quakes, not finding herself able to fight back that strongly.
"As strong as her defenses might be, earthquake is a powerful move," Akira said, nodding in agreement. "But still, Diancie is a mythical pokemon. This match won't be won that easily."
Gerard said nothing, only contemplating his next move. In the meantime, Ayame couldn't keep the bright smile off of her face, cheering on her Rhox as the bulky pokemon continued his assault on the ground.
"Yeah!" Blake cheered her on. "You can do it, Aya!"
While the match was going on, across campus Elaina was staring at the last person she had expected to see here.
"You…" Elaina gasped, her cool façade slipping a little as she looked at Ryoko, thankfully her unease and surprise were hidden behind her mask, so she could maintain a bit of her cool as she looked at the shorter girl, who stared up at her with a warm smile on her face.
"Hello, Elaina Bishop. It has been some time. Or perhaps to you it has been little time at all?" Ryoko tilted her head to the side, her golden eyes staring inscrutably up into Elaina's mask, neither able to see the intentions of the other. They stared at each other through the crack of the doorway for a moment of silence before Elaina spoke up.
"It has been some time," Elaina confirmed with a nod. "Since the roof I believe. But why are you here? I believe our conversation had finished before. There isn't anything else I have to say to you… and I don't think you have anything that I want to hear."
"I see…" Ryoko murmured. "So that is when you spoke to me… I must admit, it has been a great deal of time since that day. In truth, I should say… it still pains me, as much as it did back then, to see that you still wear that mask over your face. I told you before, Elly… no, Elaina, that you do not need to wear it any longer, not in my presence."
"Either way… I don't care." Elaina moved to close the door, but Ryoko raised her hand and placed it over Elaina's arm to stop the girl, shaking her head.
"You may not want to hear it… and you may not have anything that you want to say to me," Ryoko admitted, glancing down. "But I still think it is important for you and I to speak."
Elaina stared at Ryoko, thinking things through for a long time. She didn't really know what she was supposed to do in this situation. She had no idea who Ryoko was. What she wanted, what she knew, all she knew was what she had seen from the one conversation they had had, and what Gerard had told her. And, of course, the rumors.
She knew that Ryoko was a time traveler, and that she knew Blake. She knew that Ryoko smelled of lavender and lilac and mint, and that she had a warmth about her that made it difficult to hate her, even though Elaina wanted to.
And most of all, she knew that Ryoko wasn't someone that she could trust.
True, she seemed nice, she seemed downright sweet.
Elaina, honestly, had no reason NOT to trust the girl.
But she couldn't. She just couldn't. Trusting those that were the kindest only brought Elaina more pain. Trusting Blake… believing in Blake…
It hurt Elaina far more than she could imagine.
"It is difficult for you to trust others, is it not?"
Elaina gasped, stepping back from the door in surprise. She hadn't expected Ryoko to say that, of all things, to see right into her heart.
Ryoko smiled, shaking her head. She took the opportunity Elaina had inadvertently given her to step forward into the room and raised her hand, placing it on the cool porcelain of Elaina's mask. Elaina tensed, ready to strike, and yet…
"I believe I told you once to trust," Ryoko said softly. "I know that it may be difficult for you to do so. But you should still trust. In yourself. In Blake. In the people who love you. But first, there is something else I must do. Something I must give."
Elaina's expression behind her mask was one of confusion. She stepped back, shying away from Ryoko's touch.
"I know you quite well, Elaina," Ryoko said, reaching into her shirt. Elaina assumed she was fetching her watch, but the truth was something else entirely. What she took out… was a thin, carved flute made of strangely twisted wood.
"What… is that a flute?" Elaina asked, reaching instinctively towards it, before her fingers froze, and she pulled them back, dropping her hand to her side. She didn't want to seem too desperate, too eager, but she had to admit, she was intrigued. She could feel a strange supernatural energy coursing from the small instrument, it was intoxicating. Like the feel of time itself was calling towards her.
"I know, for example, that you are quite the experienced flutist," Ryoko continued. "Here. This is something for you. A gift."
She placed the flute in Elaina's hand, Elaina's eyes widening in shock. "This is…"
"It is called a Time Flute," Ryoko explained. "A flute that can purify… Shadow Pokemon. Turn them back to normal. But it will only work once."
Ryoko shook her head.
"I can tell you no more than this."
"A-A flute?!" Elaina asked. "Those pokemon I saw, the Shadow Pokemon, the ones that make me… feel like that, this can… stop it?"
"Use it wisely," Ryoko nodded. "There are only three. This one, and two others. I shall give them to their destined bearers next."
Ryoko smiled.
"Until then… do try to trust others, Elaina. And… forgive. Even those you think are not worthy of your forgiveness. Even including yourself."
Elaina didn't know what to say, so she said nothing.
"I shall see you again, I am certain," Ryoko smiled, turning and leaving the room, leaving Elaina to ponder the flute the time girl had left her.
Elaina was given quite a gift! Now, all three Time Flutes are accounted for! What will come from this? And what will come from the battle between Gerard and Ayame?